The present invention relates to intake louvers for naval vessels, and more particularly, to a plastic composite intake louver for military ships.
Louvers are Jaloosie like assemblies which permit the free flow of air from outside a ship or vessel to interior compartments. Louvers are typically comprised of a frame and a multiplicity of chevrons disposed inside the frame. The chevrons permit the free flow of air through the frame while preventing direct line of site viewing through the frame. The louvers presently utilized on military ships are made from metal and have problems with deterioration in the corrosive environment. Also metal louvers are heavy and difficult to assemble, with weight and cost being important considerations for all assemblies used on ships. Another disadvantage to current metal louvers is the fact that metal is an excellent reflector of radar signals. Since military ships prefer to have low radar visibility, metal louvers must be painted or coated with radar absorbent materials and periodically repainted as the paint wears off.
Efforts to improve such systems have lead to continuing developments to improve their versatility, practicality and efficiency. It is to be understood though that the usefulness of the present invention is not limited to military ships, or shipping in general, although it is in connection with such that the inventions here presently have usefulness. The term xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d will be understood to be inclusive of discovery. There is a need then for a low cost louver which is lightweight and radar absorbent.
An object of the present invention is to provide a louver comprising a plastic frame having a plurality of plastic chevrons disposed within the frame for blocking direct line of site viewing through the frame.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-corrosive, lightweight louver with inherent radar absorptive capability.
According to the present invention a method of manufacturing a louver comprises the steps of:
providing a louver frame having a front, a back, a top, and a bottom;
cutting slots in the top and bottom of the louver frame;
bonding chevrons in the slots.
The present invention provides an improved louver, which is non-corrosive, lightweight, inexpensive, and radar absorptive.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principals of the invention may be employed and therefore other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from said description and drawings.